Automatic feed-water regulator for steam-boilers



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

F. T. KENT. AUTOMATIC} FEED WATER REGULATOR FOR STEAM BOILERS. No. 443,577. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

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T. T. KENT.

AUTOMATIC FEED WATER REGULATOR FOR STEAM BOILERS.

.No. 443,577. Patented Dec. 30, 1890;

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

F. T. KENT. A AUTOMATIC FEED WATER REGULATOR FOR STEAM BOILERS. No. 443,577. Patented-Dec. 30, 1890.

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(No Model.)

P. T. KENT. AUTOMATIC FEED WATER REGULATOR FOR STEAM BOILERS No. 443,577,. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

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' UNITED STATES ATENT 'FFICE.

FRANK TROW'BRIDGE KEN T, OF SYRACUSE, NEXV YORK.

AUTOMATIC FEED-WATER REG U LATOR FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,577, dated December 30, 1890. Application filed October 18, 1888. Serial No. 288,622. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK TROWBRIDGE KENT, of the city of Syracuse, county of Onondaga, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feedater Regulators for Steam-Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic feed-water regulators for steamboilers in which a float is located within a cylindrical steam-tight vessel or tank connected with the boiler above and below the high and low water points thereof by two pipes and having the steam-supply pipe for the passage of steam to operate the steam-pumppass per pendicularly through the center of the bottom and top of said tank from bottom to top, and in construction with the parts hereinafter fully described is used to automatically control the exit of steam from the boiler through the supply-pipe to the steam-pump, and thereby regulate the supply of feed-water to the boiler automatically.

The object of my invention is to so construct and combine the parts with the steamsupply pipe of the steam-pump between the boiler and steam-pump as shall produce a device which under every condition shall be re liable and efficient to automatically control the supply and supply the boiler with feedwater.

\Vith this end to attain my invention consists in passing the steam-supply pipe of the the supply-pipe opposite and equal in width to the diameter of the holes or openings in the sides of the supply-pipe,whereby the steam is diverted in its passage to the steam-pump through such opening, and thence through the holes or openings in a sleeve into a steamchamber surrounding the sleeve and inclosing the openings in the sleeve, from which chamber through holes in the sleeve above said plug steam again enters the supply-pipe through the holes therein above the plug and operates the pump, the passage of steam into and from the stea-nrchamber being controlled by the height of the water in the boiler through the agency of a float in the float-Vessel connected to the sleeve, which slides easilyup and down on the supply-pipe within the floatvessel.

My invention consists, furthermore, of a sleeve closely fitted to slide easily up and down on said supply-pipe within the tank or float-vessel, and provided with holes or openings in opposite sides thereof and the same distance apart and of the same size as. the holes or openings in the steam-supply pipe, and also in providing a steam-chamber surrounding the sleeve and inclosing the openings therein, whereby the passage of steam through the supply-pipe to operate the steampumpis automatically controlled by'the height of water in the boiler through the agency of the float connected to said sleeve and located within the float-vessel.

My invention consists, furthermore, of a float provided with an opening or tube in its center, which allows it to slide over the steamsupply pipe within the float-vessel, and also having a collar closely fitted and securely fastened to the lower end of the sleeve in any suitable manner to form a tight joint in combination with the sleeve upon the supplypipe, and the supply-pipe, when the float rests upon the water, forms an air-tight chamber, which produces a suction in case the pressure of steam tends to lift the float from the water, and thereby the float performs a double office, in that it rides upon the water within the tank and raises the sleeve up on the supply-pipe as the waterrises in the boiler and by suction draws the sleeve down on the supply-pipe as the water in the boiler lowers, thereby causing the sleeve to be very sensitive in its movements 011 the supply-pipe to the rise and fall of the water in theboiler, whereby, also, the passage of steam through the supply-pipe to the pump is automatically controlled. A collar is put upon the supplypipe, so placed as to allow the sleeve to fall or slide down on the supply-pipe to a position where the holes or openings in the supplypipe and in the sleeve are opposite each other or opposite the circumferential grooves.

My invention consists in the detailed construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, set forth, and pointed out.

Like letters in the drawings indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an illustration of the invention, showing the connection of the boiler with the tank or lloatwesscl and the steam-pump. Fig. 2 is an enlarged representation of the invention with portions of each part cut away, so as to show the arrangement of the parts within the tank when the sleeve is dropped down and rests on the collar of the steamsupply pipe. Fig. 3 is an enlarged repre sentation of a transverse vertical section of the various parts, illustrating their combina tion and adjustment with one another and the position they occupy when the sleeve is dropped down and rests upon the collar of the supply-pipe. Fig. -l is an enlarged representation of the steam-supply pipe within the tank or floatvesscl, showing its construction, the holes or openings in its sides, the circumferential grooves, and water-packing spaces. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the steam-supply pipe as constructed and represented in Fig. t, showing the stop or plug and its location between the openin s in the sides of the snpplypipc. Fig. (5 is an enlarged representation of a transverse vertical section of the sleeve and the chamber surrounding it, showing the holes or openings in the opposite sides of the sleeve into the steam-chamher and also showing the steam-chamber. Fig. 7 is an enlarged representation of the sleeve and easing surrounding and inclosing the steam-chamber. Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the sleeve and steamchaniber surrounding it illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, taken on line on m of Fig. 0. Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the float, showing the tube through its center and the collar to fit the sleeve. Fig. 10 is an enlarged representation of a transverse vertical section of the va rious parts,illustrat-ing their combination and adjustment with one another and the position they occupy when the sleeve is raised up on the supply-pipc and the passage of steam to the pump is cut oil. and the pump is at rest.

A represents the brick-work supporting and inclosing the boiler.

13 represents the boiler, of ordinary construction.

V is the cylindrical steam-tight vessel or tank inclosing the float and sleeve.

S is the pipe connecting the boiler above the high-water point with the float vessel or tank.

"W is the pipe connecting the boiler below the low-water point with the float vessel or a tank.

S the steanrsupply pipe, for passage of steam to operate the StCEllll-Pllllll), connecting the boiler with the steamnimp and a portion thereof passing perpendicularly through the center of the bottom and top of said floatvessel from bottom to top.

I is the steam-pump, of ordinary construction.

II." is the feed-pipe from the steam-pump to the boiler.

P is a stop or plug permanently fixed in the steam-supply pipe.

0, O 0, and O' are the holes or openings in the opposite sides of the supply-pipe. G and G are the circumferential grooves opposite said openings O, 0 O and O", and equal in width to the diameter of said openings. It

will be noticed that in case the sleeve turns upon the supply-pipe so that the holes or openings in each are not opposite each other when the sleeve rests on the collar (1, the holes or openings in the sleeve are opposite the circumferential grooves G and G and the passage of steam is unobstructed.

D is the sleeve, closely fitted to slide easily up and down on the steam-supply pipe with in the tank.

0 and O are theopenings in the sleeve on its opposite sides and of the same diameter and distance apart as the holes or openings in the supply-pipe.

E is the casing su rrou n ding and inclosing the steam-chamber C.

O is the steam-chamber.

C is the collar fastened upon the steamsupply pipe, so placed as to allow the sleeve to fall or slide down on the supply-pipe to a position where the holes or openings in the sleeve may come opposite the openings in the supply-pipe or opposite the circumferential grooves.

F is the float, provided with the tube or opening '1 through its center, which allows it to slide over the steam-supply pipe.

'1 is the tube or opening through the center of the float, and in combination with the other parts of the device forms an air-tight chamber when the float rests on the water in the tank and produces a suction in case the pressure of the steam in its passage through the chamber tends to lift the float from the water in the tank.

I is the collar of the iloat, titted closely and fastened in any suitable manner to form a tight joint to the lower end of the sleeve 1).

It will be noticed that the steam enters the steam-chamber G from opposite sides of the sleeve D, and that the openings for ingress and egress of the steam to and from the steamchamber are equal in size, and the float being under steam-pressure, together with the suction of the air-chamber of the float upon the water, holds the sleeve in perfect equilibrium.

Having pointed out the various parts of my invention, the operation thereof in combination is as follows: The water and steam in the boiler freelyenter the float vessel through the pipes NV and S ,i and the water stands attiresame level therein as in the boiler; When the water in the boiler rises to a sufficient height, the float rises and lifts .or slides the sleeve upward on the steam-supply pipe, and the openings in the sleeve are raised above the openings in thesupply-pipe as shown in Fi 10, and the steam-pump is at rest. As the water is exhausted in the boiler, the float is gradually drawn down by gravity and the suction of the air-chamber in the float, and thereby the sleeve is drawn down on the steamsupply pipe to a position where the openings 0 and 0 come opposite the openings 0', O O and O of the supply-pipe, respectively, or opposite the circumferential grooves, as shown best in Fig. 3, and the steam-pump is again set in motion by the passage of the steam from the boiler through the steam-supply pipe S and the openings 0', O and 0 into the steamchamber C, and from the steamchamber through the openings O and O and 0' again into the supply-pipe to the pump, whereby the boiler through the medium of the steampump is supplied with water. To lessen the friction of the supply-pipe and the sleeve and make the tube of the float air-tight when resting upon the water, the supply-pipe is provided with water-packing spaces, as best shown in Fig. 4.

Having now fully and particularlydescribed the nature of my invention and ascertained the object thereof and the manner in which the same is to be performed and operated, I declare that what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An automatic feed water regulator for steam-boilers, comprising a float vessel or tank connected to the boiler by pipes above and below the high and low water points of the boiler, a steam-pump for supplying the boiler with feed-water,.having a steam-supply pipe for supplyin gsteam to operate the steam-pump and connecting the boiler and steam-pump, a portion of said supply-pipe to pass perpendicularly from bottom to top through the center of the float-vessel, having said supply-pipe plugged-at a point within the tank above the high-water point of the boiler, and having holes or openings of equal size .on opposite sides thereof within the fioat vessel or tank above and below said plug, and having circumferential grooves opposite said holes or openings and in width equal to the diameter of said holes, having also a closely-fitted sleeve to slide easily up and down on said supplypipe within the float-vessel, provided with holes or openings on opposite sides thereof the same size and distance apart as the holes or openings in the steam-supply pipe, a steamchamber surrounding said sleeve and inclos ing the openings therein, and a float having a tube through its center, passed over the supply-pipe within the float-vessel and fastened to the lower endofthe sleeve, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a feed-waterregulator, the combination 'of the float-vessel with the steam-supply pipe of the steanrpump by passing aportion thereof perpendicularly through the center of the float-vessel from bottom to top and plugging said supply-pipe within the tank and providing it on opposite sides with steam-passages above and below theplug and above the high-water point of the boiler, and also with circumferential grooves opposite and equal in width to the diameter of the steampassages, having a sleeve closely fitted to move freely up and down on the supply-pipe within the tank, said sleeve being provided with steam-passages on opposite sides and above and below said plug to allow at the same time an equal passage of steam from the supply-pipe below the plug into the steamchamber surrounding the sleeve and from the steam-chamber into the supply-pipe above the plug, controlled by the height of water in the boiler through the agency of a float attached to said sleeve, constructed and adjusted to one another substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a feed-water regulator, the combination of the sleeve D, closely fitted to move easily up and down on the supply-pipe, having the openings 0 and 0 the steam-chamher 0, the supply-pipe S, having the openings 0', O O and O and the circumferential grooves G and G, said sleeve being constructed and connected to the float F so as to be moved freely up and down on said supplypipe within the tank through the medium of said float, constructed and combined substantially as represented, and for the purposes specified.

4. In a feed-water regulator, the sleeve D, with steampassages O and O and steamchamber 0, adjusted to the steam-pipe S as represented and constructed, arranged, and operated relatively to each other so as to open and close the passages O and O 5 automatically by the height of the water in the boiler through the agency of the float F within the float-vessel V, as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a feed-water regulator, the combination of the float-vessel V with the supply-pipe S, passing perpendicularly through the center of the bottom and top of said float-vessel, said supply-pipe being constructed, substantially as epresented, within the float-vessel ICO and having the sleeve D closely fitted to the and O and steam-chamber C, substantially as represented, with the float F, having the tube or opening T in its center to operate the sleeXfe upon the supply-pipe, substantially as 5 specified.

7. In a feed-Water regulator, the combinaatlon of the float F,havingthe tube T through lts center, and collar I, adjusted to the sleeve D and combined with the supply-pipe so as [o to form an air-tight chamber when the float rests upon the water within the floatw'cssel V, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of October, A. D. 1888, at Syracuse, New York, United States of 1 America.

FRANK TROWBRIDGE KENT. Witnesses:

W. J. FREDRIOK, I. M. MEYERs. 

